You may have noticed, but protein is kind of everywhere right now. From Doritos, to Pop-Tarts, to popcorn, to cereal, to mac ‘n cheese, to—yes, even protein “shots”—food companies are stuffing the macronutrient into all sorts of products.
Protein’s powers are real. The macro boasts benefits such as increasing satiety and keeping you full, reducing inflammation, helping build muscle, enhancing endurance, and more. So, it makes sense that everyday snacks and meals are being spiked with it; especially since not everyone eats traditional high-protein sources like meat, cottage cheese, or yogurt. Plus, these snacks add a convenience factor, says Leslie Bonci, RD, a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh.
Meet the experts: Leslie Bonci, RD, is a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh. Dana White, RDN, is an athletic trainer and registered dietitian-nutritionist.
But despite being packed with protein, some of these trendy high-protein foods are highly processed and contain a lot of not-so-healthy ingredients. It may “lead to people overconsuming a bunch of garbage” when they’re seeking protein, says Dana White, RDN, an athletic trainer and registered dietitian-nutritionist. The snacks are also oftentimes more expensive. “We could buy a high-protein granola, or we could put milk on our granola and accomplish the same thing,” says Bonci.
Ahead, find out what’s important to think about when you’re buying high-protein snacks, and some recommendations from dietitians.
5 Factors That Determine Whether a High-Protein Food Is Healthy
By eating any of these snacks, “you'll always get the advantage of protein making you feel fuller longer,” says White. For instance, the traditional and high-protein brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tart are both 400 calories, but you’ll be getting a better bang for your buck in terms of satiety by consuming the protein version. Still, “it doesn't inherently make the food more healthy,” she adds.
That’s why it’s imperative to scan the nutrition label and ingredients before purchasing a snack. “If people aren't looking at the labels and they're just seeing protein splashed across the front of the packaging, they could be making some big mistakes” in terms of what else they’re getting, says White.
When you’re looking for a high-protein snack at the grocery store—or online—consider these factors:
Ingredients
Bonci recommends looking for a snack that uses unflavored protein powder or isolate, as it’s a high-quality option. But if you’re scanning the ingredient list and the first ingredient is whey protein, but then the next ones are sugar and a random oil, “the quality of the overall nutrients you're getting [is] not good,” says White, citing Pop-Tarts as an example.
Sodium
With more savory snacks, it’s smart to look at the sodium content. “If you're eating a ton of protein chips because you're trying to hit your protein goals, but you're also taking in an exorbitant amount of sodium to get there, then that's maybe a little counterproductive,” says White. This is especially true of those high-protein mac 'n' cheeses.
Most people should aim to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day; any more than that can harm your blood pressure and heart health, according to the American Heart Association. (Although if you have high blood pressure, you should eat less sodium, and you’re an athlete who’s constantly sweating, you may want to eat more.)
Ideally, any snack you eat has less than 300 mg of sodium, White says. (Catalina Crunch’s protein cereal, protein Doritos, and Kloud protein popcorn all fall below that.) If the number is above that, you may not want to eat it on the regular. “You don't want to consume 25 percent of your daily sodium in one snack,” she adds.
Saturated Fat
These snacks aren’t usually high in saturated fat, but it’s still an important nutrient to monitor in general for heart health—especially if you like eating coconut products, which have more of it, says White. Try not to eat more than 20 or 25 g of saturated fat per day, and make sure your snack doesn’t have more than 3 or 4 g total, she adds.
Sugar
Sweet snacks will likely have artificial sweetener, sugar alcohol, and/or added sugars. The American Heart Association recommends women eat no more than 6 teaspoons (25 g) of added sugar per day, so make sure your snacks have no more than 8 g of added sugar, says White. For reference, the protein strawberry Pop-Tarts contain 30 g of added sugar for just 10 g of protein. “That would be almost 8 tsp of sugar per serving,” she adds. You’re better off just eating a whole food at that point.
“I don't think there's anything wrong with having a little bit in there,” but added sugar can add up quickly, says White. “If you're looking at something that's got double digits, maybe try to find a different option.”
Carbohydrates
When picking any snack, Bonci recommends looking for a food that has not only protein but also some fiber and carbs. She says to aim for 30 g of carbs and 5 g of fiber in your snack.
Check Out Our Ultimate Protein + Fiber Guide for Delicious Meal Ideas
How Often to Eat High-Protein Snacks
Keep your intake of these snacks “conservative,” says White, adding that eating one a day is fine. “If you're using it as a way to boost your protein post-workout or make that afternoon snack more satisfying because you notice that you're constantly starving in that afternoon slump, I don't think there's a problem.”
But you shouldn’t eat one of these snacks over whole food sources of protein for a meal. For instance, at breakfast, ”I'd rather go for the eggs because I know I'm getting pure whole food protein,” White says. “I'm not worried about all the other stuff that's added to it.”
Expert-Recommended High-Protein Snacks
While protein is the GOAT of the macronutrient world in so many ways, it’s not the only important one. Make sure your diet is well-rounded with carbohydrates, fats, and fiber, eating mostly whole foods and a high-protein snack every so often, and you’ll be just fine.
Addison Aloian is the associate health & fitness editor at Women’s Health, where she writes and edits across the health, weight loss, and fitness verticals. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). In her free time, you can find her lifting weights at the gym, running on the West Side Highway in New York City—she recently completed her first marathon, the 2025 New York City Marathon—and watching (and critiquing!) the latest movies that have garnered Oscars buzz. In addition to Women's Health, she’s made an appearance on the Oprah Podcast and her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L'Officiel USA, V Magazine, VMAN, and more.
